He began with a gentle exploration of her soft mouth. When she didn’t pull back, he cupped the back of her head with his hand, threading his fingers through the dark mass and pulling her closer. Not only didn’t she resist, she fully participated. For Griff, distrust, grief, even the pain of the past, faded in importance. Nothing mattered except the woman in his arms. Stopping was the last thing on his mind.
Chelsie parted her lips in a faint sigh and welcomed him. His lips, warm and soft against hers, created a sense of belonging he’d never before experienced. As she pulled him closer, need pummeled at him from all sides. Apparently she felt the same. Once relaxed from sleep, her breathing came in shallow gasps. When she exhaled a soft but urgent moan, the knowledge that he wasn’t alone fueled his desire.
With her moist lips caressing his, Griff was lost. Warmth, wet heat, and a deep caring consumed him... and confused him. He tried to push aside the doubts and concentrate on his desire and the need to possess her, but finally heeded his confusion.
He pulled back slowly and Chelsie followed his lead. She ran a trembling hand through her hair, a movement he stilled by lacing his fingers through hers. He needed the connection as much as he wanted to relax her.
He cleared his throat, wondering how to broach this subject after the intimacy they’d just shared. “We need to talk.”
The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. “I think we just expressed ourselves quite clearly without words.”
He acknowledged her statement with a nod. “This isn’t about that.”
“Okay,” she said, suddenly wary. “What then?”
He touched her face again. Before she could pull back, he stroked her cheek. “You’re exhausted, and I’m the cause.”
“You didn’t force me into anything I didn’t want to do. Anyway, my work and my life are cyclical. The hectic times will pass.”
“Maybe. But what if I could guarantee that even the hectic times wouldn’t be so bad?”
“Have you looked into a crystal ball, or are you planning on stealing my clients?” she asked with a grin.
“What if I said the latter?”
Curious now, she sat up straighter in her seat. “What are you getting at?”
“I’m proposing a way for you to continue to see Alix, to lighten your work load, and to take on more clients, all at the same time. You might even get some sleep out of the deal.”
“Impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible if you have an open mind. I’m proposing a partnership.”
He forestalled her argument with a wave of his hand. “I know we got off to a rough beginning and I didn’t make things easy on you.”
“Thank you for admitting that.”
“That’s the least I could do. Alix needs the attention you’re giving her. But I can see by the last two weeks alone that this addition to your schedule has been rough.”
“Like I said, it’ll pass.”
“Maybe it doesn’t have to. We can help each other here. This isn’t just a selfish thing, though that’s what this arrangement ha
s been from the start.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she chided. “But what did you have in mind?”
“You’ve already said you’re referring more cases than you’d like. I need to build a client base. Working together, you no longer dole out cases to other attorneys and I start a solid practice.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought this through.”
“Truthfully, I haven’t. But talking this out is as good a means as any for finding flaws.”
“What if we don’t get along all that well? I’d call that a major flaw.”
He glanced down at their hands, still intertwined. His thumb created circles on her soft skin. “After what just happened, I’d have to dispute that statement, counselor.” He reached out and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. He let the slight tremor that shook her pass without comment.
“Do you make it a practice to mix business with pleasure?” she asked, slowly removing her hand from his.